Special Educational Needs
Training, support and development Improving SEN provision
nasen, the UK’s leading association embracing all special and additional educational needs and the School’s Network (formally SSAT) are the first of the organisations funded by the Department for Education’s (DfE) Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) grant to begin delivering their funded project. The training programme, free to all maintained schools in England offers support, information and practical advice to ensure that the whole school community will have the basic knowledge and skills to support them in meeting the needs of all pupils.
The Government’s VCS grants were awarded to 18 separate organisations in the field of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in February this year, totalling over £6.5m for services spanning 2011 and 2012. nasen’s training toolkit, A Whole School Approach to improving Access, Participation and Achievement, has been developed, initially for all secondary schools. The toolkit offers schools a training programme that is flexible and adaptable to meet the individual needs in each school. The training, offered to all SENCOs at no cost, has been structured to assist them in the delivery of whole school professional development to support them in meeting the needs of all learners in addition to meeting the increased remit of their role following the launch of the new Ofsted framework.
Lorraine Petersen (OBE), CEO of nasen, comments: “The key to a school’s success is that they can evidence high quality educational provision which is offered every day to every pupil. The SENCO has always played a very important part within a school inspection however, the new schedule will demand much more from this already extensive role and therefore it is crucial that the foundations are laid to enable the SENCO to carry out the strategic role effectively in their school. This means ensuring that all staff possess the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to provide high quality teaching and learning opportunities for all pupils.”
Training days will take place across the country and are accompanied by a free Training Resource Pack with ideas, tools and resources to help the SENCO share best practice for working with and supporting pupils with SEND. In addition, interactive resource packs for specific needs such as Autism or behaviour can be downloaded at no cost via the dedicated website,
www.nasentraining.co.uk. In the first year the aim of the training is to reach at least 75 per cent of all secondary schools and in the second year (2012 – 2013), a similar process will be undertaken to reach 25 per cent of primary schools.
Nasen is the leading UK professional association embracing all special and additional educational needs and disabilities. The organisation promotes the education, training, development and support for all those working within the special and additional educational needs and disabilities sector. Membership of nasen is an invaluable source of advice, offering
Jane Asher
an exclusive and vital range of benefits to support teachers, governors, teaching assistants and the entire education support network in the delivery of high quality inclusive practice. Benefits include fresh and creative education resources, dynamic conferences and seminars with world-class speakers. An inspirational professional development programme, plus print and on-line journals and magazines, exhibitions and access to recently completed research are also available. Nasen contributes greatly and has a strong influence on policy and practice in the area of special educational needs through consultation and joint projects with other professional bodies.
News and projects
Create! Art for Autism 2012 was launched on 19th March 2012 at a Parliamentary reception in London, hosted by Alun Cairns MP for the Vale of Glamorgan. It is open to all young people aged 11-25 years who are formally diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) including Asperger’s Syndrome. The competition aims to dispel the myth that people with autism cannot be creative and to show that art can significantly improve their quality of life, facilitating experiential-based learning and instilling life-long skills.
Darren Jackson, Principal of Ludlow Orbis Education and Beechwood College, said: “At Beechwood College we have seen how art and creativity can transform the lives of young people who previously struggled to express themselves. “Last year, Create! Art for Autism generated outstanding interest and we were hugely impressed with the level of creativity from all the entries. With this year’s competition we aim to reach even further and we hope schools and colleges across Britain will encourage their students to explore their creativity and enter their artwork.”
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www.education-today.co.uk May 2012
Jane Asher, President of the National Autistic Society, said: “I’m delighted to be part of Create! 2012: I’ve seen so much beautiful and inspiring art made by young people with autism over the years, and I can’t wait to see the entries. “The wealth of talent and imagination of those in the autistic community has long been overlooked and I’m sure that this important competition, now in its second year, will help to bring it the appreciation and recognition it deserves.”
A new resource to help teachers address the subject of autism with their pupils, and increase understanding about this and related conditions, has been developed by the education charity FILMCLUB. ‘Autism on Film – a FILMCLUB Guide’ includes a season of five expertly chosen films which explore, in a variety of ways, what it means to have autism – a condition affecting over 500,000 people in the UK. Each title is accompanied by a synopsis, discussion points and review starters to ensure the themes in the films can be fully explored.
The guide is one in a new series of educational resources produced by the charity to facilitate the use of film to reinforce the curriculum and tackle challenging topics - following research which
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